Seven Kiwi GPs honoured by College
The College of GPs has honoured seven GPs with Distinguished Fellowship, and made the president of the Royal Australian
College of GPs, Professor Michael Kidd, an Honorary Fellow of RNZCGP.
During the week’s annual conference in Auckland, those honoured included former College president Dr Jim Vause
(Blenheim) – recognised as the first Maori to hold the presidency – and New Plymouth Maori GP Tony Ruakere, a former
Chief Advisor Maori Health in the Ministry of Health.
The others were the College’s Auckland regional education director Dr Dene Eggleston, Rural education specialist Dr Pat
Farry of Queenstown, the recently retired Dr Helen Kingston of Motueka, former College deputy president Dr Lorna Martin
of Rangiora, academic and entrepreneurial GP Dr Murray Tilyard of Dunedin.
College staff member Sarah Partridge received a meritorious service award after completing 21 years with the College,
and her work in shepherding overseas medical graduates through the New Zealand system.
The College now has 21 distinguished Fellows among its 3500 plus members.
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Honorary Fellowship
Michael Richard Kidd
A general practitioner since 1985, Michael Richard Kidd has been involved in academic general practice since 1988
culminating in his appointment as Professor and Head of the Discipline of General Practice at Sydney University in 1996.
After working within the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners for many years, Michael was elected President
of the Australian College in 2002 and subsequently re-elected in 2004. In 2004 he was also elected to the Executive of
WONCA (The World Organisation of Family Doctors), a forum where he has represented the interests of Australasian general
practice since 2001.
In addition to the many roles that follow from his academic and representative positions, Michael has a number of realms
of interest and research including HIV, Hepatitis C, information technology in general practice and general practice
research.
He has worked closely with the New Zealand College in numerous areas and has helped cement the work of predecessors in
building the current collegial trans Tasman relationships.
Michael Kidd GP, still manages part time work in his Darlinghurst, inner Sydney, practice.
Michael Richard Kidd
Meritorious Service Award
Sarah May Campbell Partridge
Sarah Partridge has always gone “the extra mile” to help countless general practitioners through the Vocational Training
pathway, providing expert guidance and support. Of particular note is her assistance to the overseas graduates – without
whom New Zealand would be the poorer.
This award was suggested by one of those graduates.
I quote, “Like most overseas – trained doctors I was a bit unsure about what lay ahead of me. I was put in touch with
Sarah and from the very beginning she made me feel at ease. Most importantly she believed in me as a person and as a
doctor and stood by me though the ups and downs. The day I got my Fellowship, Sarah was there. When she handed the
College gown and hugged me she looked so proud. I thank you from the bottom of my heart”
Last month, Sarah Partridge completed 21 years of service to the College.
She has always worked in the membership area and looked after new members until about 2000, with prime responsibility
for Primex and the Board of Censors for several years before Peter Morrow was appointed.
She is the first point of contact for enquiries about membership and increasingly this has meant helping non-NZ doctors
negotiate the minefield of registering with the Medical Council. Her patience and thoroughness assists both the doctor
and Medical Council staff. She arranges supervision by College Fellows where the Medical Council requires it.
With her 21 years’ experience, Sarah has built a vast institutional knowledge of College processes and of the minutiae
that every GP should know before beginning work in this country.
Sarah May Campbell Partridge
Distinguished Fellowship
Dene Morley Egglestone
Dene Egglestone is currently serving his seventh year as Auckland Regional Director of the Intensive Clinical Training
Programme, Stage One of the College’s General Practice Education Programme.
He has put a tremendous amount of effort and skill into developing this programme, establishing a website for the
Auckland group that he maintains, permitting not only access to a wide range of resources, but also this year allowing
trainees to network and chat online. He also personally developed an innovative web-based conference technology allowing
trainees in remote areas to participate in the seminar series.
Dene has a strong interest in communication skills teaching, and has extended the use of a team of actors with simulated
consultation cases in the programme.
Supportive of all the trainees, facilitators and resource people involved in the Auckland programme, Dene makes
significant contribution at national level to the successful running of GPEP Stage One. Dene Egglestone also works hard
for the College as a Primex examiner, an AVE facilitator and Cornerstone assessor, and is a very worthy recipient of
this award.
Dene Morley Egglestone
Patrick Joseph Farry
Patrick Farry graduated in Medicine from the University of Otago in 1967. He became a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand
College of General Practitioners in 1988.
From a well-known Dunedin family he has spent almost his entire practicing life in Queenstown as a rural general
practitioner. He has seen Queenstown emerge to be the foremost tourist destination in New Zealand.
Pat became a Lecturer in the Department of General Practice at the University of Otago in 1980, and a Senior Lecturer in
1990. He is currently director of the Te Waipounamu Rural Health Unit situated in the Department of General Practice in
Dunedin. A renowned lateral thinker, he has been foremost in the development of education in General Practice, whether
undergraduate, postgraduate, urban and rural. .
His tireless advocacy has brought major change, and he continues this work to this day.
Patrick Joseph Farry
Helen May Kingston
Graduated MBChB Edinburgh 1968
DRCOG (UK) 1970
MRNZCGP 1984
FRNZCGP 1992
Helen Kingston’s career embodies the ideals of the RNZCGP. She fulfilled her early ambition by spending four years at a
mission hospital in Malawi, before becoming the first GP registrar in Nelson region, leading to 26 years as a respected
rural GP in Golden Bay.
Elected FRNZCGP in 1992, her contribution to the Nelson Preferred Medicines project and her interest in the safe use of
medicines led to her membership on the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee.
As chair of the NZ Rural GP Network she was integral to the development of the rural ranking scoring system for rural
general practice.
Helen achieved all of this whilst working full time in a remote rural practice, with a 1 in 3, latterly 1 in 4, on call
roster. She continued obstetrics until recently. Hugely respected and admired locally for her commitment, integrity and
compassion, she provided patient centred care and counsel from a firm base of medical knowledge, experience and
understanding.
An active and supportive member of the GP community in the wider Nelson region, she is very highly regarded and
respected by GP colleagues throughout the region.
Helen May Kingston
Lorna Ageatha Martin
Lorna Martin graduated MB ChB from Otago Medical School on 1 December 1984. She became a Member of the college in
November 1991 and a Fellow on 5 September 1998.
She has worked in a busy practice in the small town of Rangiora since the late 1980s.
Actively working for the college over the last seven years she has been a Member of CME/MOPS Working Party June 2001 to
October 2004, Chair of Professional Development Committee (PDC) January 2001 to July 2003, Teacher in the Intensive
Clinical Training Programme since March 2001, Member of Primex Wellington Examiners since March 2001, Video Module
Reviewer from March 2001 till 2005.
Lorna Martin was elected Deputy President of the College from July 2003 until forced to resign for health reasons in
March 2004.
Over many years she regularly attended faculty board meetings in Canterbury and provided the rural voice on issues
facing l general practitioners. Lorna Martin’s practical and considered opinions as a valued and hard working committee
member have been, appreciated by all those who have worked with her.
Lorna Ageatha Martin
Murray William Tilyard
Professor Murray Tilyard is one of New Zealand’s most energetic and innovative GPs always showing a single minded
commitment to promoting New Zealand general practice and practitioners.
As Professor of General Practice in Dunedin, he has made significant contributions to: general practice research, with
the RNZCGP research unit in Dunedin. Supporting the College with IT initiatives, Murray Tilyard and brought huge
advances to general practice information technology.
His significant leadership in South Island general practice organisation, through South Link Health, and in best
practice prescribing is a testament to his energy and innovation.
One of the most influential organisations in rural general practice has been the rural unit in the Department of General
Practice.
Always looking ahead, he has forged valulable international relationships with other GP organisations
Tonight we recognise the 20 years of leadership, research and innovation that Murray Tilyard has given,
Murray William Tilyard
Anthony Ansley Ruakere
Dr Tony Ruakere walks in the humble steps of his kaumatua, yet looks to youth for the future, using Maori role models to
inspire another generation to even greater performance.
The people, he says, have to accept the responsibility of moving forward by doing it themselves. Being passive won’t
work. The fire needs to burn deep in us all.
It burns deeply within Tony Ruakere. At 66 he still works eight or nine tenths general practice, seeing between 30 and
50 patients per day in his access-funded health centre.
And he works with PTAC (the Pharmacology and Therapeutic Advisory Committee) with Pharmac; helps out both the Medical
Council, and the Nursing Council and was a member of the Medical Practitioner Disciplinary Tribunal 2003. He’s now on
the Wellington Tenths Trust, as a Te Atiawa Taranaki rep,
Tony Ruakere used to be a Ministerial appointment on the Taranaki DHB, but is now an elected member.
As a former Chief Advisor Maori Health in the Ministry, he has the confidence of those in power, and their trust.
Equally, the College has benefited from Tony Ruakere’s work as a member of the Maori Health development implementation
group (MAHI) since 1998 and a College AVE facilitator from 2002 to 2005. He received the RNZCGP Primex Examiner award in
2005 after completing four year’s service and an RNZCGP GP Teaching award last year
Anthony Ansley Ruakere sees himself as a very privileged person, to be working with his people, in his community.
Anthony Ansley Ruakere
Geoffrey Henry James Vause
Dr Jim Vause is recognised by Te Akoranga a Maui as the first Maori GP President of the Royal New Zealand College of
General Practitioners. A hard-working and free-thinking officer of the College, Jim Vause is proud of his whakapapa, and
was influential in the setting of up of the first Maori faculty in a professional body in this country.
He is of Kai Tahu, through Kati Mamoe.
A GP first in Central Otago then in Blenheim, he became very active within the College, first in CME, then expanding
into quality and other aspects of professional development.
He joined the Medical Education Committee in July 1996 for three years, then became a member of the ACC General Practice
Liaison Group in 2000, staying in the role for five years. At the same time he was also on the ACC Profiles Group in
2001 and 2002.
Chair of the College’s Professional Development Committee and also on the PD Dr subcommittee from 2001, he was also a
member of the Finance Committee that year. At the AGM in 2001, he became deputy to then President Dr Helen Rodenburg and
succeeded her in 2003 to become President for the two-year term.
An Health and Disability Commission expert advisor from August 2003, he also joined the IT Working Party from April
2003. He displays a particular skill and interest in the technology area.
Jim Vause was a regional representative on Te Ora , and the College representative on Wha me Wha from March 2001 to
March 2005.
Since standing down as president, he has continued to give the College the benefit of his enthusiasm in the quality
area, working hard within the Cornerstone programme.
Geoffrey Henry James Vause
ENDS